diff --git a/src/sat/sat_ddfw.cpp b/src/sat/sat_ddfw.cpp
index 478e793e3..64589dc6e 100644
--- a/src/sat/sat_ddfw.cpp
+++ b/src/sat/sat_ddfw.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ namespace sat {
 
     void ddfw::check_with_plugin() {
         m_plugin->init_search();
-        while (m_limit.inc() && m_min_sz > 0) {
+        m_steps_since_progress = 0;
+        while (m_min_sz > 0 && m_steps_since_progress++ <= 1500000) {
             if (should_reinit_weights()) do_reinit_weights();
             else if (do_flip<true>());
             else if (do_literal_flip<true>());
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ namespace sat {
         if (v == null_bool_var)
             return false;
         if (reward(v) > 0 || (reward(v) == 0 && m_rand(100) <= m_config.m_use_reward_zero_pct)) {
-            if (uses_plugin)
+            if (uses_plugin && is_external(v))
                 m_plugin->flip(v);
             else
                 flip(v);
@@ -159,6 +160,24 @@ namespace sat {
     */
     template<bool uses_plugin>
     bool_var ddfw::pick_literal_var() {
+#if false
+        unsigned sz = m_clauses.size();
+        unsigned start = rand();
+        for (unsigned i = 0; i < 100; ++i) {
+            unsigned cl = (i + start) % sz;
+            if (m_unsat.contains(cl))
+                continue;
+            for (auto lit : *m_clauses[cl].m_clause) {
+                if (is_true(lit))
+                    continue;
+                double r = uses_plugin ? plugin_reward(lit.var()) : reward(lit.var());
+                if (r < 0)
+                    continue;
+                //verbose_stream() << "false " << r << " " << lit << "\n";
+                return lit.var();
+            }
+        }
+#endif
         return null_bool_var;
     }
 
@@ -453,6 +472,7 @@ namespace sat {
         if (m_unsat.empty()) 
             save_model();
         else if (m_unsat.size() < m_min_sz) {
+            m_steps_since_progress = 0;
             if (m_unsat.size() < 50 || m_min_sz * 10 > m_unsat.size() * 11)
                 save_model();
         }
diff --git a/src/sat/sat_ddfw.h b/src/sat/sat_ddfw.h
index fc03f8ba2..654910111 100644
--- a/src/sat/sat_ddfw.h
+++ b/src/sat/sat_ddfw.h
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ namespace sat {
         unsigned         m_restart_count = 0, m_reinit_count = 0, m_parsync_count = 0;
         uint64_t         m_restart_next = 0, m_reinit_next = 0, m_parsync_next = 0;
         uint64_t         m_flips = 0, m_last_flips = 0, m_shifts = 0;
-        unsigned         m_min_sz = 0;
+        unsigned         m_min_sz = 0, m_steps_since_progress = 0;
         hashtable<unsigned, unsigned_hash, default_eq<unsigned>> m_models;
         stopwatch        m_stopwatch;
 
diff --git a/src/sat/sat_solver.cpp b/src/sat/sat_solver.cpp
index 898c3a2a4..c570843b5 100644
--- a/src/sat/sat_solver.cpp
+++ b/src/sat/sat_solver.cpp
@@ -1302,9 +1302,6 @@ namespace sat {
                 return l_undef;
             }
 
-            // uncomment this to test bounded local search:
-            // bounded_local_search();
-
             log_stats();
             if (m_config.m_max_conflicts > 0 && m_config.m_burst_search > 0) {               
                 m_restart_threshold = m_config.m_burst_search;
diff --git a/src/sat/smt/arith_sls.cpp b/src/sat/smt/arith_sls.cpp
index 3d4522e76..54141e635 100644
--- a/src/sat/smt/arith_sls.cpp
+++ b/src/sat/smt/arith_sls.cpp
@@ -26,34 +26,9 @@ namespace arith {
     void sls::reset() {
         m_literals.reset();
         m_vars.reset();
-        m_clauses.reset();
         m_terms.reset();
     }
 
-    lbool sls::operator()(bool_vector& phase) {
-        
-        unsigned num_steps = 0;
-        for (unsigned v = 0; v < s.s().num_vars(); ++v)
-            init_bool_var_assignment(v);
-        verbose_stream() << "max arith steps " << m_max_arith_steps << "\n";
-        m_max_arith_steps = std::max(1000u, m_max_arith_steps);
-        while (m.inc() && m_best_min_unsat > 0 && num_steps < m_max_arith_steps) {
-            if (!flip())
-                break;
-            ++m_stats.m_num_flips;
-            ++num_steps;
-            unsigned num_unsat = unsat().size();
-            if (num_unsat < m_best_min_unsat) {
-                m_best_min_unsat = num_unsat;
-                num_steps = 0;
-                save_best_values();
-            }
-        }
-        store_best_values();
-        log();
-        return unsat().empty() ? l_true : l_undef;
-    }
-
     void sls::log() {
         IF_VERBOSE(2, verbose_stream() << "(sls :flips " << m_stats.m_num_flips << " :unsat " << unsat().size() << ")\n");
     }
@@ -105,7 +80,6 @@ namespace arith {
         reset();
         m_literals.reserve(s.s().num_vars() * 2);
         add_vars();
-        m_clauses.resize(d->num_clauses());
         for (unsigned i = 0; i < d->num_clauses(); ++i)
             for (sat::literal lit : *d->get_clause_info(i).m_clause)
                 init_literal(lit);
@@ -116,22 +90,6 @@ namespace arith {
         d->set(this);
     }
 
-    void sls::set_bounds_begin() {        
-        m_max_arith_steps = 0;
-    }
-
-    void sls::set_bounds(enode* n) {
-        ++m_max_arith_steps;
-    }
-
-    void sls::set_bounds_end(unsigned num_literals) {
-        m_max_arith_steps = (m_config.L * m_max_arith_steps); // / num_literals;
-    }
-
-    bool sls::flip() {
-        log();
-        return flip_unsat() || flip_clauses() || flip_dscore();
-    }
 
     // distance to true
     int64_t sls::dtt(int64_t args, ineq const& ineq) const {
@@ -207,31 +165,6 @@ namespace arith {
         return false;
     }
 
-    bool sls::flip_unsat() {
-        unsigned start = s.random();
-        unsigned sz = unsat().size();
-        for (unsigned i = sz; i-- > 0; ) 
-            if (flip_clause(unsat().elem_at((i + start) % sz)))
-                return true;        
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    bool sls::flip_clause(unsigned cl) {
-        auto const& clause = get_clause(cl);
-        for (literal lit : clause) {
-            if (is_true(lit))
-                continue;
-            auto const* ineq = atom(lit);
-            if (!ineq)
-                continue;
-            SASSERT(!ineq->is_true());
-            if (flip(*ineq))
-                return true;
-
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
-
     // flip on the first positive score
     // it could be changed to flip on maximal positive score
     // or flip on maximal non-negative score
@@ -255,77 +188,17 @@ namespace arith {
         return false;
     }
 
-    bool sls::flip_clauses() {
-        unsigned start = s.random();
-        unsigned sz = m_bool_search->num_clauses();
-        for (unsigned i = sz; i-- > 0; )
-            if (flip_clause((i + start) % sz))
-                return true;
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    bool sls::flip_dscore() {
-        paws();
-        unsigned start = s.random();
-        unsigned sz = unsat().size();
-        for (unsigned i = sz; i-- > 0; ) 
-            if (flip_dscore(unsat().elem_at((i + start) % sz)))
-                return true;        
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    bool sls::flip_dscore(unsigned cl) {
-        auto const& clause = get_clause(cl);
-        int64_t new_value, min_value, min_score(-1);
-        var_t min_var = UINT_MAX;
-        for (auto lit : clause) {
-            auto const* ineq = atom(lit);
-            if (!ineq || ineq->is_true())
-                continue;
-            for (auto const& [coeff, v] : ineq->m_args) {
-                if (cm(*ineq, v, new_value)) {
-                    int64_t score = dscore(v, new_value);
-                    if (UINT_MAX == min_var || score < min_score) {
-                        min_var = v;
-                        min_value = new_value;
-                        min_score = score;
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        if (min_var != UINT_MAX) {
-            update(min_var, min_value);
-            return true;
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    /**
-    * redistribute weights of clauses. 
-    * TODO - re-use ddfw weights instead.
-    */
-    void sls::paws() {
-        for (unsigned cl = num_clauses(); cl-- > 0; ) {
-            auto& clause = get_clause_info(cl);
-            bool above = 10000 * m_config.sp <= (s.random() % 10000);
-            if (!above && clause.is_true() && get_weight(cl) > 1)
-                get_weight(cl) -= 1;
-            if (above && !clause.is_true())
-                get_weight(cl) += 1;
-        }
-    }
-
     //
     // dscore(op) = sum_c (dts(c,alpha) - dts(c,alpha_after)) * weight(c)
     // TODO - use cached dts instead of computed dts
     // cached dts has to be updated when the score of literals are updated.
     // 
-    int64_t sls::dscore(var_t v, int64_t new_value) const {
+    double sls::dscore(var_t v, int64_t new_value) const {
         auto const& vi = m_vars[v];
-        int64_t score(0);
+        double score = 0;
         for (auto const& [coeff, lit] : vi.m_literals) 
             for (auto cl : m_bool_search->get_use_list(lit))              
-                score += (compute_dts(cl) - dts(cl, v, new_value)) * int64_t(get_weight(cl));        
+                score += (compute_dts(cl) - dts(cl, v, new_value)) * m_bool_search->get_weight(cl);        
         return score;
     }
 
@@ -437,46 +310,6 @@ namespace arith {
         m_vars[v].m_literals.push_back({ c, lit });
     }
 
-    void sls::add_bounds(sat::literal_vector& bounds) {
-        unsigned bvars = s.s().num_vars();
-        auto add_ineq = [&](sat::literal lit, ineq& i) {
-            m_literals.set(lit.index(), &i);
-            bounds.push_back(lit);
-        };
-        for (unsigned v = 0; v < s.get_num_vars(); ++v) {
-            rational lo, hi;
-            bool is_strict_lo = false, is_strict_hi = false;
-            lp::constraint_index ci;
-            if (!s.is_registered_var(v))
-                continue;
-            lp::column_index vi = s.lp().to_column_index(v);
-            if (vi.is_null())
-                continue;
-            bool has_lo = s.lp().has_lower_bound(vi.index(), ci, lo, is_strict_lo);
-            bool has_hi = s.lp().has_upper_bound(vi.index(), ci, hi, is_strict_hi);
-
-            if (has_lo && has_hi && lo == hi) {
-                auto& ineq = new_ineq(sls::ineq_kind::EQ, to_numeral(lo));
-                sat::literal lit(bvars++);
-                add_arg(lit, ineq, 1, v);
-                add_ineq(lit, ineq);
-                continue;
-            }
-            if (has_lo) {
-                auto& ineq = new_ineq(is_strict_lo ? sls::ineq_kind::LT : sls::ineq_kind::LE, to_numeral(-lo));
-                sat::literal lit(bvars++);
-                add_arg(lit, ineq, -1, v);
-                add_ineq(lit, ineq);
-            }
-            if (has_hi) {
-                auto& ineq = new_ineq(is_strict_hi ? sls::ineq_kind::LT : sls::ineq_kind::LE, to_numeral(hi));
-                sat::literal lit(bvars++);
-                add_arg(lit, ineq, 1, v);
-                add_ineq(lit, ineq);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     int64_t sls::to_numeral(rational const& r) {
         if (r.is_int64())
             return r.get_int64();
@@ -635,4 +468,3 @@ namespace arith {
             init_bool_var_assignment(v);
     }
 }
-
diff --git a/src/sat/smt/arith_sls.h b/src/sat/smt/arith_sls.h
index e781e9666..5496be637 100644
--- a/src/sat/smt/arith_sls.h
+++ b/src/sat/smt/arith_sls.h
@@ -100,11 +100,6 @@ namespace arith {
             svector<std::pair<int64_t, sat::literal>> m_literals;
         };
 
-        struct clause {
-            unsigned m_weight = 1;
-            int64_t m_dts = 1;
-        };
-
         solver& s;
         ast_manager& m;
         sat::ddfw* m_bool_search = nullptr;
@@ -114,7 +109,6 @@ namespace arith {
         config                       m_config;
         scoped_ptr_vector<ineq>      m_literals;
         vector<var_info>             m_vars;
-        vector<clause>               m_clauses;
         svector<std::pair<lp::tv, euf::theory_var>> m_terms;
         bool                         m_dscore_mode = false;
 
@@ -129,15 +123,9 @@ namespace arith {
 
         void reset();
         ineq* atom(sat::literal lit) const { return m_literals[lit.index()]; }
-        unsigned& get_weight(unsigned idx) { return m_clauses[idx].m_weight; }
-        unsigned get_weight(unsigned idx) const { return m_clauses[idx].m_weight; }
-        bool flip();
+
         void log();
-        bool flip_unsat();
-        bool flip_clauses();
-        bool flip_dscore();
-        bool flip_dscore(unsigned cl);
-        bool flip_clause(unsigned cl);
+
         bool flip(ineq const& ineq);
         int64_t dtt(ineq const& ineq) const { return dtt(ineq.m_args_value, ineq); }
         int64_t dtt(int64_t args, ineq const& ineq) const;
@@ -149,14 +137,12 @@ namespace arith {
         void update(var_t v, int64_t new_value);
         double dscore_reward(sat::bool_var v);
         double dtt_reward(sat::bool_var v);
-        void paws();
-        int64_t dscore(var_t v, int64_t new_value) const;
+        double dscore(var_t v, int64_t new_value) const;
         void save_best_values();
         void store_best_values();
         void add_vars();
         sls::ineq& new_ineq(ineq_kind op, int64_t const& bound);
         void add_arg(sat::literal lit, ineq& ineq, int64_t const& c, var_t v);
-        void add_bounds(sat::literal_vector& bounds);
         void add_args(sat::literal lit, ineq& ineq, lp::tv t, euf::theory_var v, int64_t sign);
         void init_literal(sat::literal lit);
         void init_bool_var_assignment(sat::bool_var v);
@@ -168,12 +154,7 @@ namespace arith {
     public:
         sls(solver& s);
         ~sls() override {}
-        lbool operator ()(bool_vector& phase);
-        void set_bounds_begin();
-        void set_bounds_end(unsigned num_literals);
-        void set_bounds(euf::enode* n);
         void set(sat::ddfw* d);
-
         void init_search() override;
         void finish_search() override;
         void flip(sat::bool_var v) override;
diff --git a/src/sat/smt/arith_solver.h b/src/sat/smt/arith_solver.h
index a31ca844a..9ae671c16 100644
--- a/src/sat/smt/arith_solver.h
+++ b/src/sat/smt/arith_solver.h
@@ -512,10 +512,6 @@ namespace arith {
         bool enable_ackerman_axioms(euf::enode* n) const override { return !a.is_add(n->get_expr()); }
         bool has_unhandled() const override { return m_not_handled != nullptr; }
 
-        void set_bounds_begin() override { m_local_search.set_bounds_begin(); }
-        void set_bounds_end(unsigned num_literals) override { m_local_search.set_bounds_end(num_literals); }
-        void set_bounds(enode* n) override { m_local_search.set_bounds(n); }
-        lbool local_search(bool_vector& phase) override { return m_local_search(phase); }
         void set_bool_search(sat::ddfw* ddfw) override { m_local_search.set(ddfw); }
 
         // bounds and equality propagation callbacks
diff --git a/src/sat/smt/euf_local_search.cpp b/src/sat/smt/euf_local_search.cpp
index 801a92150..d22a65fb8 100644
--- a/src/sat/smt/euf_local_search.cpp
+++ b/src/sat/smt/euf_local_search.cpp
@@ -32,9 +32,7 @@ namespace euf {
         for (auto* th : m_solvers)
             th->set_bool_search(&bool_search);
 
-        bool_search.rlimit().push(m_max_bool_steps);
-        lbool r = bool_search.check(0, nullptr, nullptr);
-        bool_search.rlimit().pop();
+        lbool r = bool_search.check(0, nullptr, nullptr);        
 
         auto const& mdl = bool_search.get_model();
         for (unsigned i = 0; i < mdl.size(); ++i)
@@ -42,40 +40,4 @@ namespace euf {
 
         return bool_search.unsat_set().empty() ? l_true : l_undef;
     }
-
-    bool solver::is_propositional(sat::literal lit) {
-        expr* e = m_bool_var2expr.get(lit.var(), nullptr);
-        return !e || is_uninterp_const(e) || !m_egraph.find(e);
-    }
-
-    void solver::setup_bounds(sat::ddfw& bool_search, bool_vector const& phase) {
-        unsigned num_literals = 0;
-        unsigned num_bool = 0;
-        for (auto* th : m_solvers)
-            th->set_bounds_begin();
-
-        auto count_literal = [&](sat::literal l) {
-            if (is_propositional(l)) {
-                ++num_bool;
-                return;
-            }
-            euf::enode* n = m_egraph.find(m_bool_var2expr.get(l.var(), nullptr));
-            for (auto* s : m_solvers)
-                s->set_bounds(n);
-        };
-
-        for (auto cl : bool_search.unsat_set()) {
-            auto& c = *bool_search.get_clause_info(cl).m_clause;
-            num_literals += c.size();
-            for (auto l : c)
-                count_literal(l);
-        }
-
-        m_max_bool_steps = (m_ls_config.L * num_bool); // / num_literals;
-        m_max_bool_steps = std::max(10000u, m_max_bool_steps);
-        verbose_stream() << "num literals " << num_literals << " num bool " << num_bool << " max bool steps " << m_max_bool_steps << "\n";
-
-        for (auto* th : m_solvers)
-            th->set_bounds_end(num_literals);
-    }
 }
diff --git a/src/sat/smt/euf_solver.h b/src/sat/smt/euf_solver.h
index d62390329..e51b68b09 100644
--- a/src/sat/smt/euf_solver.h
+++ b/src/sat/smt/euf_solver.h
@@ -260,12 +260,7 @@ namespace euf {
         constraint& mk_constraint(constraint*& c, constraint::kind_t k);
         constraint& conflict_constraint() { return mk_constraint(m_conflict, constraint::kind_t::conflict); }
         constraint& eq_constraint() { return mk_constraint(m_eq, constraint::kind_t::eq); }
-        constraint& lit_constraint(enode* n);
-
-        // local search
-        unsigned m_max_bool_steps = 10;
-        bool is_propositional(sat::literal lit);
-        void setup_bounds(sat::ddfw& bool_search, bool_vector const& mdl);
+        constraint& lit_constraint(enode* n);        
 
         // user propagator
         void check_for_user_propagator() {